Thanks so much for the support!
"So, is he any good?" Lucy asked, nonchalantly filing her nails on the couch in their small living room.
"Is who good at what?" Levy asked, only half paying attention. She was more concerned with keeping Mario from being stampeded by mushrooms in her DS game.
"Gajeel, duh!" Lucy said, bopping the bluenette on top of the head with her file.
Levy only twitched from the impact. "What about him?"
"Is he a good kisser?" Lucy asked, causing Levy's aqua DS to slip her little hands. Mario's death song played, and Lucy chuckled. "I mean, he has to be if you keep doing it."
"He's just getting me back into practice," Levy said, shrugging and grabbing her gaming console. "I'm gonna go on a real date soon with some lucky boy. You know, spice up my life. That should give you something to write about!"
Lucy looked at her roommate from the corner of her eyes. "Is that what this whole Gajeel thing is about? My novel?"
"You said I needed to be more exciting, and Gajeel offered to help me with that!" Levy said, leaning back against Lucy on their couch while starting up her game again.
"Levy-chan, I know this may sound a bit harsh, and you can totally disagree with me, but is Gajeel, maybe, using you?" Lucy asked. It pained her to say it.
Levy snorted. "Why would he be using me?"
"Well, you kind of threw yourself at him like a damsel in distress, so maybe he thought he could take advantage of you and make you think he was helping you?"
"Lu-chan, why would he use a little girl like me, when he can satisfy all of his little lustful needs with the billions of busty girls on campus?" Levy asked, quickly eyeing her own flat chest before deciding she didn't want to go down that road right now.
"You're beautiful, Levy-chan!" Lucy said, stroking the bluenette's hair. "You have the same chance of being used as every other girl on the planet. It was just an idea. I don't want you to get hurt."
"Lu-chan, I'm perfectly safe, I promise!" Levy told her, patting Lucy's thigh quickly before rushing back to make Mario jump on a turtle. "Your novel and Gajeel have honestly encouraged me to have more fun, and I'm still keeping my grades up. Everything seems perfect right now."
Lucy nibbled on her lip. "You will have to stop doing things like this with Gajeel once you get serious with someone, you know? It's fun now, but it's going to be hard going back to a normal friendship."
"You don't think we have a normal friendship?" Levy asked, putting down her game.
"Normal friends don't make out the way you guys do."
"Well, it's not like we do it publicly," Levy said. "You only know it happens because I've told you, which I'm starting to regret."
Lucy's face flashed a bit of hurt. "Sure, on the surface you look like normal, close friends. But, knowing that this is what goes on underneath, I think you guys are a lot closer and a lot deeper than you think."
"You're not the love guru or anything, Lu-chan," Levy pouted.
"So you love him?"
"No! Why do you think that?"
"You brought it up."
Levy sighed. "That isn't what I meant."
"I think you're confusing yourself, Levy," Lucy said, patting her roommate on the shoulder.
"I think I am, too," Levy whined, lying in Lucy's lap. "Maybe we're not normal. I don't want to be a super strange person who thinks it's okay to make out with all of her friends!"
"Then why not stop it now?" Lucy suggested, stroking the blue hair splayed on her lap. "It was nice to remember what it's like to kiss someone,—because who can remember when you had your last boyfriend—but it's enough now."
Levy sighed. "I think you're right, Lu-chan."
"And if you don't want to stop, I think that says something about you."
"Like what?"
"You'll figure it out."
Levy groaned.
xXx
"So, you think we're weird?" Gajeel asked her from across the small café table, raising a pierced eyebrow.
Levy nodded, sipping on her rather large coffee. She needed plenty of energy to have this conversation with him. She knew it would be like talking to a fence post.
Gajeel shook his head. "Whatever you say, shorty."
"You don't agree?" Levy asked.
"I aim to have fun and make sure you're happy, too," Gajeel told her, shrugging. "If you think we're weird, then we're weird, and we should…stop…our…weirdness?" He wasn't quite sure what he was saying by the end of it. "Is that what you want?"
Levy took a long drink of coffee, not caring that it burned her throat, and nodded, avoiding looking at the large man across from her.
"Well, alright then," Gajeel sighed, scratching the back of his head. "I've had my daily dose of awkward for the day, so I think I'll head to the garage and see how much work I have ahead of me."
"Don't work too hard," Levy laughed. "We can go do something later if you're not too busy."
"Sounds like a lovely date."
"Not a date. I thought we were gonna stop the weirdness."
"This is my thing. Stop trying to change me."
Levy rolled her eyes and kicked him under the table. He sniggered and stood up, patting her on the head. Levy shrieked and fussed with her headband, glaring at the large man standing above her.
"Why do you always feel the need to do that?"
"Because it annoys you," he chuckled.
He stepped by her to leave the shop, giving her a quick kiss.
And they both froze.
Gajeel coughed, breaking the silence between them. "Um, that…that didn't happen."
"Right," Levy laughed nervously, looking away from him and taking another long sip from her cup.
Gajeel nodded at her and hastily strode out of the small campus café.
This would be harder than both of them ever imagined.
XxX
Juvia laughed at what Levy and Lucy just explained to her. Repeatedly.
"Gajeel-kun actually wants to make you happy?" Juvia laughed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Gajeel-kun doesn't even treat Juvia that way unless Juvia cries."
"I told you, Levy-chan," Lucy sighed. "It's not going to be easy to just drop it."
"I CAN FIX THIS!" Levy yelled, earning them plenty of strange looks from around the ice cream parlor they were sitting in. Lucy assured her ice cream is always the answer, and they invited Juvia along and explained Levy's predicament to her, hoping she could help them talk to the emotionally constipated Gajeel.
"Juvia is happy that Gajeel-kun has finally taken an interest in people," Juvia said, clapping her hands giddily.
Lucy giggled. "Juvia does have a point. I can't see Gajeel as a caregiver."
"And Juvia is glad no one is competing for Gray-sama," Juvia added to her previous statement.
Levy and Lucy exchanged glances.
"So you'll talk to him if things continue to be…weird?" Levy asked the other blue-haired woman. Honestly, she had to think of a better word for their situation besides weird.
"Juvia will help in any way she can," Juvia assured her, flashing a smile.
"Maybe we should get Natsu to help, too," Lucy suggested.
"Natsu is about as emotionally constipated as Gajeel," Levy said. Juvia nodded in agreement.
Lucy looked offended for her not-quite boyfriend. "Speaking of Natsu, he and Erza are throwing a birthday party for Gray this weekend and we're invited. No presents from broke college kids required."
"No parties!" Levy shrieked, rubbing her head where the bump used to be from the last party.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "I promise it really is just a bunch of our close friends this time."
"Erza-san rented out the ballroom on the second floor of the student center for Gray-sama's party," Juvia informed them. "Only the best for Gray-sama!"
"How did Erza book the whole ballroom for a birthday party?" Levy asked.
"She knows people," Lucy said, shrugging. "Look, I promise it will be nothing like the last one."
Levy sighed. "I'm going for the cake."
"Sure you are."
xXx
Levy made sure to stay by the food table the whole time, ensuring she wouldn't injure herself again (and she'd also be one of the first people to get cake). Lucy and Juvia hadn't lied: it really was nothing like the other party. There were no flashing lights or fog machines, just bumping bass from the DJ and streamers and balloons all over the room. Gray's friends were all there, which also included a majority of Levy's friends, including Jet and Droy who wouldn't leave her side. Levy observed the party with the two men, denying Lucy whenever she tried to drag her onto the dance floor with her and Natsu, but kept eyes on her throughout the night.
"Fun party, huh, Levy?" Droy asked, nudging the small girl in the side.
Levy shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm not one for parties, but at least it's a lot calmer than the last one."
"You got that right!" Jet said. "We wouldn't want you getting hurt again."
"It was an accident last time," Levy told him. "No one could have predicted it."
"It was that Gajeel guy's fault," Droy said.
"Yeah," Jet agreed. "Dude just brings trouble with him."
"It wasn't Gajeel's fault," Levy sighed.
"Why do you even hang out with him?" Jet asked.
"He's fun," Levy said with a small smile. Her heart rate started to pick up, just like it did every time she was with Gajeel.
"We're fun too," Droy interjected, sounding hurt.
Levy giggled. "No need to be jealous, guys. You're still two of my best friends."
The two men sighed, but seemed content enough.
Just then, Lucy ran up to the trio, taking Levy's hands.
"Levy, have you seen Natsu?" Lucy asked. "He said he was going to grab a drink, but he's not over here."
"Calm down, Lu-chan," Levy told her, squeezing the blonde's hands. "You grab a cold drink, and I'll go tell Natsu to meet you over here. You're all sweaty and need to cool off."
"Thanks, Levy-chan!" Lucy said, giving the small girl a big, sweaty hug.
Levy pushed her off, grimacing. "See if you can find a towel, too. I'll be right back, guys!"
The bluenette finally left her position at the food table and searched the spacious room for pink, spiky hair. How hard could it be to find him? There weren't that many people.
Levy found him standing in a corner with Gray and Gajeel. Walking up to the small group, she caught wind of the conversation they were having.
"So, when are you going to get with her?" Natsu asked, clapping Gajeel on the back.
Levy froze. "Her?" Who were they talking about? She didn't want to keep listening, but she couldn't move. A lump grew in Levy's throat, making it difficult to swallow.
Gajeel gave Natsu a less-than-gentle punch in the arm for touching him. "Why are you asking me that? You don't know the first thing about girls."
"He has a point," Gray confirmed. "And I hate to admit it, but so does Natsu. You've got to get with her."
So Gray was in on it, too? But who were they talking about? Juvia said Gajeel doesn't really talk to any girls besides the two of them, and they would have denied it if they were talking about Gray-crazy Juvia. Were they talking about Levy? It was suddenly becoming very difficult for her to breathe.
"Now I'm getting a lecture from the stripping bastard, too?" Gajeel sighed.
"Hey! I've kept my clothes on all night!"
"Anyway," Natsu said, pushing Gray out of the way. "Go for it! Levy ain't gonna stick around forever!"
That's when Levy's stomach dropped. Either they were talking about her, or they were talking about the girl he was going to replace her with. Wait, replace her? He wouldn't replace a friend…but maybe he could replace whatever he considered Levy to be.
"Cut it out!" Gajeel hissed. "You guys don't—" That was when Gajeel's red eyes met with Levy's enlarged hazel ones. He coughed. "What's up, shorty?"
Levy's mouth moved, but no sound came out. Her eyes darted over to Natsu. Right, she was there for Natsu, not to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"You okay, Levy?" Natsu asked.
Still no response from the frozen Levy. Gajeel and Gray exchanged a look, and Gray gave Gajeel a nod.
"You heard everything, didn't you?" Gajeel asked. Levy gave a nod so small that she wasn't sure if they saw her move at all. "Damn. Look, shorty, I'm sure it sounded strange, but—"
"No." Levy's voice didn't sound like her own; it sounded mangled and forced, like she just gargled nails. "I came here to find Natsu. I don't need an explanation."
Gajeel pushed Natsu back by the forehead when he tried to step up to the small bluenette. "Look, I'm not sure what you heard, but—"
"No!" Levy yelled, causing a small crowd to stare at them. "You don't have to say anything. Lucy was right: you're just using me."
"Using you?" Gajeel asked. "Levy, where the hell did that come from?"
"Whatever," Levy growled, looking at Natsu instead. "Lucy is waiting for you by the food table. Tell her I went home."
Natsu swallowed. "O-Okay. But, Levy—"
"Happy birthday, Gray," she said before casting a final glare at Gajeel, turning on her heel, and running straight for the door."
"Levy!" Gajeel called after her, but she didn't stop. She was finally able to move again, so she didn't stop.
She slid through the double doors leading into the ballroom, blowing past all of the party guests, and barreled down the flight of stairs, tears blurring her vision. Why did she always end up running away from their fights? Because they were too public for her? Why did they always fight in the first place? A poor choice of words?
Levy slipped off the last step, her hip colliding hard with the tile floor below her. She stood up, dusted off her skirt, and kept running out of the building and down the sidewalk.
No, it wasn't a poor choice of words. All the words were right, and she knew what she heard. Gajeel just wanted to "get with her". He didn't care about her feelings at all. She should have confronted him when Lucy put the idea of him using her in her head. She didn't think it was true at the time; how could it be when they were such close friends, and you don't use friends?
Levy didn't notice it was raining until she stopped running several streetlights past the building she was in to catch her breath. She clutched herself and wheezed, out of breath from both running and crying. She squatted close to the wet ground, trying to make herself as small as possible. She always felt better that way.
Perhaps she cared more about Gajeel than she wanted to admit. He was something new in her life, something different, and she loved it. She felt a rush from it, from him. Maybe that's why this hurt so much.
"You're really short, you know?" a gruff voice asked behind her after she cried for what felt like hours.
She jumped and faced it, falling back on her hands.
Of course it was Gajeel. It was always Gajeel.
"That's what makes it easy to keep up with you," he continued. "Your short legs are no match for mine."
Levy scoffed and fumbled up, wiping her nose on the back of her wet sleeve.
"It's pouring, and you forgot your jacket, didn't you?" he asked.
She glared up at him, but he wasn't looking at her, instead gazing up at the streetlight above them.
"Didn't I come save your ass last time you ran away from me, too?" he chuckled, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Levy folded her arms and turned her back to him, glancing around the dark campus.
"Are you gonna talk to me or not?" he asked, taking a step closer.
"Bastard," Levy spat over her shoulder, walking away from him.
He chuckled, and then snatched her wrist, stepping closer to her, only to step back again when she whirled on him.
"No!" she screamed, releasing herself from his hold. "I don't have to speak to you. I have every right not to! So, just stay the hell away from me and go find yourself a new plaything!"
"What the hell do you want from me?!" Gajeel screamed back, his voice echoing off buildings.
The two stared each other down, their bodies soaked and wet hair sticking to their face. It was no light rain shower.
"I want you to care," she squeaked.
"I do!" he shouted. "I'm not good at it, but I do! What was all that bullshit about me using you, huh?"
Levy squeezed her eyes shut, fight-or-flight instinct telling her to choose the latter option again, except when she turned to run, he latched onto her arms and kept him facing her.
"You can't keep running away from me, Levy!" he yelled. "Tell me what the hell is going on! What's your problem?"
"I'm scared, okay?!" The two looked at each other again in silence, new hot and angry tears pouring from Levy's eyes. "I-I'm scared of what you want from me."
"What I want from you?" he asked, his voice finally softer. He averted his eyes for a while, looking like it pained him to say what was coming next. "I just want to be near you."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"Look, I know I'm not good with all of this mushy, chicky shit, but I'm gonna try, okay?" he sighed, releasing her and pacing. "All I want from you is to let me into your world, to keep me in your life. Shorty, I've never had as much fun as I've had with you, and, damn, it pisses me off to see you reacting like this because I don't know what the hell you possibly want from me—"
"I want you to care about me!" she interjected, raising her voice again. "I don't want you to just play with me and let out whatever sexual frustrations you have on me."
"I do care!" his voice matched her volume, causing her to stagger from his sudden loudness. "I care more than you know, and I just… I don't mean to play with you! There's no way in hell I could ever use you! I…"
"What?!" Levy asked. "How can you possibly explain what was going on in there, huh?"
"Maybe I like you!" he screamed, punching the light pole. The streetlight flickered. "Maybe I like you, and they were telling me to ask you out, but I didn't know how, and I didn't want to screw anything up between us!"
"Well, so much for that!" she screamed, gesturing wildly between them.
"I didn't want it to turn out this way, but you're so angry, it just happened!"
"I'm angry because I didn't want to get hurt, and you shot that horse in the face, didn't you?" Levy yelled. "Maybe I like you, too! Maybe I just couldn't tell you because I felt like you were too high above me that I didn't stand a chance!"
"So we like each other?!"
"I guess we do!"
Gajeel crushed his lips against Levy's, picking her up until she was level with him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her hands in his hair. They stayed like that for a while, kissing each other in the pouring rain, letting their anger run its course.
Gajeel placed Levy back on the ground when they were both out of breath and panting.
"Can we stop yelling now?" he coughed.
Levy nodded, propping herself against him in fear she might fall over.
"I'm sorry, shorty," he whispered loud enough to be heard over the storm. "I didn't mean to… I…I'm sorry."
Levy nodded again. "Me too."
He pulled her into him shortly, just long enough that she didn't drown from the water wringing out of their clothes from the sudden pressure.
"So, what does this mean?" she asked, looking at a puddle instead of at him.
He tapped a finger under her chin, steering her head so that her eyes met his. "It means you're mine, and I'm yours. Deal?"
She looked between them, then back up at him. "Yeah."
Not sure how much longer this story will have, but it's not over yet! Tell me what you guys thought! This was so fun to write!
